Page 10 - Sep-Oct 2021

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international

OFF-WHITE HAS LAUNCHED ITS NEW STORE

IN MADRID, SPAIN

The new Off-White flagship store is located on Ortega y
Gasset street, in the heart of Madrid’s Golden Mile, adjacent
to other major international luxury fashion brands, such as
Valentino, Chanel and Celine.
The new Off-White store in Madrid features the
complete range of products of the brand, all designed by
Virgil Abloh. The retail design concept of the store was
overseen by Virgil Abloh too.
Marking the label’s long-term foray into Spanish territory,
Virgil Abloh fronted Off-White builds on the presence of
their Ibiza pop-up outpost with the opening of their bricks-
and-mortar Madrid store. The interior takes an industrial
approach to aesthetics with features such as exposed brick
walls in a terracotta hue. Hosting an expansive selection of
the label’s wares, the new outpost will stock womenswear,
menswear, accessories, homeware, and kid’s alongside
special collaborative collections.

SWISS DUTY FREE RETAILER DUFRY ANNOUNCED IT WAS UPBEAT ON THE RECOVERY FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC THANKS TO AN EASING OF
RESTRICTIONS AND ENCOURAGING DEMAND FOR TRAVEL RETAIL, ADDING IT PLANNED TO REOPEN UP TO 70 PER CENT OF SHOPS UNTIL THE END OF
AUGUST. THE SWITZERLAND-BASED COMPANY WITH OPERATIONS IN OVER 60 COUNTRIES SAID IT REACHED A TURNOVER OF 1.19BN SWISS FRANCS IN
THE FIRST HALF OF 2021, DRIVEN BY THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF TRAVEL IN THE US, CENTRAL AMERICA, PARTS OF EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA.
POLO RALPH LAUREN NEUHAUS CONTINUES

OPENS IN ST. PETERSBURG OPENING STORES

The American-born brand has chosen the Galereya Shopping Even though the chocolatier is suffering from the Covid-19 crisis,
and Entertainment Centre to call home for its very first store in the brand continues to open new stores, investing in their own
St. Petersburg. future. For the first time in fifteen years, the chocolate brand
The brand is distributed in Russia by BNS Group, who was also has recorded a loss with profit crashing from 14.3 million to
responsible for the opening of the St. Petersburg location. The move minus 2.9 million last year. The Coronavirus has been the biggest
comes as part of the brand’s global expansion and the implementation contributor to this loss, with a lack of tourists, particularly from
of the ‘Next Great Chapter’ strategy which ensures ‘sustainable, China, Japan and the US that usually make up a large population
long-term growth and capitalisation of the company.’ The boutique, of chocolate purchasers.
which houses both women’s and men’s clothing collections, has an CEO Ignace Van Doorselaere believes that the Covid-19
interior that reflects the DNA of the brand. The interior features pandemic is a ‘temporary crisis that will last a year or two,’
natural oak parquet flooring and wood panelling on the walls and is and is confident that the brand will soon bounce back to pre-
complimented by vintage-style showcases and décor. The boutique Coronavirus levels as soon as possible.
also intends to convey the main concept of Ralph Lauren – a modern Based on this belief that the brand can quickly bounce back
interpretation of classics combined with the energy of a big city. from the crisis, Neuhaus intends to open new stores in The
The brand has stores in the Metropolis shopping centre, Evropeisky Hague and London, and has recently completed store openings
shopping and entertainment centre and Aviapark shopping centre. in Berlin and Dusseldorf.

10 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021